A hot toilet is not an especially nice idea for most people, as it usually indicates that it has just been occupied by someone else.
And turning aside when you're sitting on the toilet and there's no toilet paper, just smooth walls and a remote control, it may seem like hell.
But the remote control we are talking about has washing and drying options .
TOTO CST784EF#01 Eco Clayton with Elongated Bowl, Cotton White
The smart toilet that you only have to clean once a year
You hit a button, and a robotic arm slides underneath you and offers you a variety of water jets at different speeds and angles, followed by hot air at the end.
When you get up, the toilet closes its lid, pulls the chain and is cleaned using ultraviolet lights.
The Toto Actilite series with Washlet (the robotic washing hand) costs about US $ 12,500.
It is a Japanese brand, but since opening its offices in London, UK, in 2009, it has tried to open up to the European market, and has many competitors .
They may now be a luxury, but these high-tech toilets could one day improve healthcare around the world.
But how do they work?
Maybe you're worried about a robot approaching your most intimate parts, but Floyd Case, director for the UK of Toto Europe, says there's nothing to fear .
It's not like a car wash; You do not have to sit down and hope for the best. When you sit down, there is a sensor that detects that you are there "
Floyd Case, Toto Europe
"It's not like a car wash, when you sit down, there's a sensor that detects you're there, " he tells me.
"In any case, you note that the seat is hot, which is nice, and that the deodorant works, so it smells good."
"If you want to wash, you have a remote control with two options: rear or front wash, which is sometimes called 'washing for women'," he explains.
The robot rod then leaves its closed chamber and releases a spray of "about 70 water droplets per second".
"You can adjust its position, the intensity of the water and, of course, the temperature, there's also a drying function to shoot hot water," says Case.
In addition, it is very hygienic .
Copyright of the Toto image Image caption Toto's Actilite line includes a "wand" with hose and dryer that is operated by remote control.
The chain "electrolyzes" the water , which generates dissolved salts to produce a slightly acidic solution that will kill the bacteria.
In addition, it contains ultraviolet lights that activate when the lid is closed, which interacts with a "photocatalytic surface" in the ceramic container to undo anything biodegradable.
Toilet Hacking
The Satis G-Type, manufactured by Lixil (another Japanese firm) has many similar functions , although it prefers the term "pulverizador" to "rod", and is, something cheaper: it costs about US $ 5,000.
It has Bluetooth connection and you can control your personal washing functions (spray, water and air pressure) using the mobile application "My Satis" (my Satis), which includes a " toilet newspaper " so you can perform - if so you want it- a follow-up of your bowel movements and thus monitor your health.
As with any device based on the internet of things, Lixil had to consider the possibility of hacking. What happens if someone gets control of your sprayer?
"Many steps are required to control a Satis toilet remotely," says Martin Mizutani, director of product development at Lixil Water Technology.
"Operating a Satis toilet using a smartphone involves completing a pairing process, which establishes a direct connection between the toilet and a specific telephone."
"Then it only works when the toilet lid is open, while the 'My Satis' application can be used by only one person at a time, which prevents a third party from accessing the system at that time ."
Copyright of Garv Toilets image Image caption Garv toilets, used in some of India's most impoverished areas, are sustainable in terms of energy use, maintenance and disposal of waste.
Both Toto and Lixil are very popular in Japan.
According to Lixil, some form of hot toilet is used in more than 80% of Japanese households .
But international consumers are proving to be more difficult to convince.
"Of course, there is the comic factor," admits Case. "Europeans are not used to intimate washing."
A "memorable experience"
That said, Toto has sold more than 40 million toilets with wash rods -whose minimum price is US $ 1,870- worldwide.
And besides the mansions of the very rich, they are popular in hotels and restaurants .
"It's one of the last things where hotels can still be more luxurious (than homes)," says Case.
" The washing experience is quite memorable, there was a criticism of a restaurant recently where they talked more about it than about food."
It may still sound like something very exclusive, but there is a real need in the world for more "smart" toilets.
Garv toilets are free to use in poor parts of rural India and are designed to be self-sufficient in terms of energy use , waste disposal and maintenance , with technologies such as sensors and integrated radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems.
Of course, there is the comic factor. We Europeans are not used to intimate washing "
Floyd Case, Toto Europe, on why the concept has not penetrated the continent
Made of vandal-proof shiny stainless steel, LED lights and exhaust fans turn on automatically when users open the bathroom door.
When the visit ends, the same automatic technology automatically activates the systems of washing the floor and the toilet.
A remote control board records data on the number of users and how many times they pulled the chain and used the soap dispensers.
Smart toilets can also be a key element in the future of healthcare.
According to the Toilet Board Coalition, a commercial network that promotes better health, your toilet could save your life.
(The toilets) will go from being simple containers that eliminate waste to smart medical devices that collect health data and synchronize us with our doctors "
Toilet Board Coalition
"They will go from being simple containers that eliminate waste to smart medical devices that collect health data and synchronize us with our doctors."
How far is that future? According to Floyd Case, Toto is already doing it.
"We have sold thousands of toilets in hospitals in Japan that wash and dry you, but they also weigh you and analyze your urine, " he explains.
Over time, he says, domestic toilets will do that too, loading the data onto your smartphone.
But they do not want to launch this technology to the market before consumers are ready.
"At the moment, people are still surprised by a technology that came to Japan 30 years ago ."